5366 Digital Graphics, Animation, and Desktop Publishing

Reflection

Self-Assessment
The course, Digital Graphics was taken in the midst of the stressful Christmas holidays. With that being said, I believe that it was the perfect course to take during the hustle and bustle in December. The course was enjoyable, motivating, and engaging through the five week period. In my judgment, the course content was not as intense and stressful than other courses.
Our first assignment given was to create a publishing that used the four principles of design. In the past, as a primary teacher, I had many opportunities where I had to create newsletters, brochures, posters, etc. for school functions. Although I never considered myself highly creative, I felt like I had enough experiences from teaching. Without knowing the four design principles back then, I believe that I followed them naturally. The difference with creating my assignment was that I had purpose and meaning in my design. I made sure that my design included the principles of contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity since that was part of the requirements.
Learn as a Learner
I learn best through visuals, so this is the reason that this course was so enjoyable. It tapped into my learning style. According to research, 60% of people are visual learners and want to see how something is done rather than talking about it (Smith, 2009). I appreciated how the learning activities in the course were ordered. First, we were taught the basic design principals; then they expanded on each principle with vivid examples and details. We had to use our skills to practice identifying each principle. This method was an excellent learning experience for me, since I could view the examples. To complete our activity in design, we were given the opportunity to view our colleagues’ products and submit several critiques. To critique the other designs, we had to apply our new knowledge in the evaluations. It helped me learn more about my cohorts when I placed them with their products that they designed. I saw the creativity in our group and gleaned from their ideas. Their positive feedback on my birth announcement was encouraging, especially since it was my first one. We were also asked to create a logo and use it in an animation. Once we were content, we had to incorporate the logo and animation in a publication which I chose to be a newsletter. In addition, this course allowed us the opportunity to use creativity while learning new skills. Sir Ken Robinson claims that our education system is killing creativity; he says that our schools are educating students out of creativity (TED Talks, 2006). This course allowed us to express our creativity as long as we incorporated the basic design principles that we were taught.
Lifelong Learning Skills
Looking back, I appreciate the experience using the wiki to post our finished products. The assignments gave me confidence on wikis to venture into the help section to learn the skills that I needed. In the past, I would never attempt to use the help section on websites. Now, it’s one of the first things I look for when learning something new. My learning on wikis I have transferred to professional development for teachers in our district. Hopefully, they will pass their knowledge of wikis to the classroom and use them with students.
Overall the course was engaging and fun during the most hectic season of the year, Christmas! During the course, we were taught how to give positive critiques and how to accept them. I appreciated the efforts that were made, so that everyone could gain from the feedback, without damaging anyone’s spirit. One thing that this course brought out was the fact that everyone has their own talents. This course allowed the creative students to rise and get noticed. Not everyone is talented in sharing their thoughts on the discussions boards, or writing; but the activities here gave students a chance to be accepted for their uniqueness. I believe that we were allowed to experiment with new tools and new programs, while many of our colleagues on the discussion board were encouraging our efforts. On one of the web conferences, a colleague mentioned how her nine year old child was able to learn the animation program called Scratch and then teach it to her. We have to be willing to learn with our students or children who are Digital Natives and feel comfortable using these tools. As Arne Duncan, our former U. S. Secretary of Education states, “…In the 21st century, educators must be given and be prepared to use technology tools; they must be collaborators in learning—constantly seeking knowledge and acquiring new skills along with their students” (Duncan, 2010). As a student seeking to further my skills in technology, I am developing patience and perseverance as I complete my courses in this degree.